my daughter is horse mad so can you ans me this question for her do horses sleep lying down or standing?

Answer 1

Horse sleep standing.

Answer 2

Horses sleep mainly standing up they "lock" a hind leg, though they can sleep lying down this is only usually for short periods as they are very heavy and also need to feel secure if doing this. I used to look after 23 horses who had always lived together, so some would lie down (one would sleep so deeply you could shout/push her and she wouldnt get up - she used to snore too)and some would keep guard! Usually they stood in a large circle so eyes where every where. We have 2 horses at work that have to stand due to injuries - one had to stand for 6 weeks and the other at the moment has fractured thigh and will be standing for 6 weeks. They are fine.

Answer 3

Most of the time people see them standing while sleeping because it is easier for them to run away if something would attack but horses can sleep laying down-even completely on their sides. I have seen horses sleep standing up or laying down and books on horses and horse care may even tell.

Answer 4

Both. A horse will usually sleep standing. They are able to lock their legs when they sleep standing so they don't fall. Sometimes a horse will lay down and sleep, but not often, and not for a long time.

Answer 5

Horses often lie down to sleep if they are in a safe environment such as their stable. Domestic horses living in a field sometimes take it in turns to lie down to sleep, and often two or three members of the herd will remain standing so that they can look out for danger. Horses in the wild are much more vulnerable and mostly sleep standing up so that they can gallop off easily if danger approaches.

Answer 6

Horses do both. They will drowse standing with one leg cocked and lower lip drooping sometimes their eyes close. Sometimes they lay flat out and snore a bit. There have been several famous studies done on this. The AVMA released their findings a few years back determining that horses should sleep laying down at least 45 consecutive minutes per day to improve circulation. Also they determined that horses need to go into REM sleep patterns that can only be achieved laying down. REM sleep deprivation was linked to shorten lives, disruptive behavior, colic, ulcers, and cancer.

I can tell you it was a sunny cool morning here in my area, and my horses were all laying flat out in the pastures drowsing in the sun happy as can be.

Answer 7

horses can sleep standing or lying down - the difference is:
When a horse sleeps standing - his back leg rests so his back will slant downwards - his leg literally locks into place to prevent him falling over - however a standing horse is not in a deep sleep - he is merely catnapping.
A horse that is lying down however is REALLY sleeping - when they lie down they need a good kip but will always be ready to get up asap - as all animals, a horses natural instinct is flight from danger.

Answer 8

Horses sleep laying down and standing up.

Horses usually won't lay down for more than 20 to 30 mins at a time since that is a lot of pressure on the rib cages. Mine love to sun bath laying down and also lay down in winter times to get warm.

It wasn't until my gelding was a year when he slept more standing. Foals sleep and sunbath more as their bones are growing to withstand the long standing.

Answer 9

Horses have a unique system of interlocking ligaments and bones in their legs, which serves as a sling to suspend their body weight without strain while their muscles are completely relaxed. Thus, horses don't have to extent any energy consciously to remain standing - their legs are locked in the proper position during sleep.

Most horses do most of their sleeping while standing, but patterns differ. Veterinarians we spoke to said it was not unusual for horses to stand continuously for as long as a month, or more. Because horses are heavy but have relatively fragile bones, lying in one position for a long time can cause muscle cramps

Answer 10

Down Time
Even though they're able to snooze standing, horses need to lie down for rest and sleep at least some of the time. Horses must lie down to go into deep stages of sleep. Like humans and many other animals, horses experience both slow-wave sleep (SWS) and rapid-eye-movement (REM) deep sleep. (SWS is characterized by slow, synchronized waves of electrical activity in the brain as recorded by electroencephalography. REM sleep is characterized by jerky eye movements and rapid, disorganized brain waves.) REM sleep seems to occur mostly when the horse is stretched out flat on his side, rather than resting on his chest.

Horses do not need REM sleep every night as Humans do but usually a couple times a week in the LATE hours (like 2-3am) you can sneak out and find your horse laying down.

People dream during REM sleep, and it seems that horses do, too. Beneath closed lids, their eyes move rapidly back and forth.